Christmas Calm

Most years, the stress of trying to get everything done by Christmas Eve gets to me at one point or another. I end up snapping and dreaming of running away because all I really want by then is to be alone, away from all the noise, mess, demands, and "togetherness" that seems to bring out the worst in all of us.

This year, I have made a conscious decision that I am not going to let things and to do lists affect the way I treat the people I love. Getting everything done isn't as important as taking the time to snuggle with the kids at bedtime while we read a story. Making it to every event doesn't matter if I have to yell to get there.

Most of my shopping is done, the few things I have left aren't because I don't know what I'm getting, but because I have too many ideas and we have to narrow down the final list. I do have a couple things I'm still trying to make, but most of the crafting I want to do this year is pretty low-key. If I don't finish it, it will wait until another year.

And that is what I keep telling myself about all of it. If we miss a day on the advent calendar, it doesn't matter; we can pick it up the next day. Or not.  If we don't make it to some of our traditional outings (like the tree lighting that I couldn't find details for), we probably won't miss them. Watching a Christmas movie while eating popcorn and Peppermint Joe-Joes might be even more fun, and definitely a lot easier.

I've spent the last two evenings snuggled under a blanket, blogging by the light of the Christmas tree before bed. The living room floor is scattered with Christmas books that the kids left out, the stove needs cleaning and the dishwasher is full of clean dishes (and last night, the only reason the sink wasn't totally full of dirty dishes was because I'd used paper plates), but that will all still be there in the morning and I've gone to bed happy.

That is my goal for this Christmas. To slow down and be happy.

Christmas Cozy

This Christmas, I'm all about taking the simple route and keeping focused on family, friends, and the religious side of Christmas.  But the "keeping focused part" really is work!  There are things distracting me from all sides and trying to tell me that I need to do X:

The email comes from the room mom for the kids' classes with the teachers favorites, and immediately I feel my stress level rise a little as I start to add trips to 4 different stores/restaurants to my list until I step back and remind myself that even though a gift card to their favorite restaurant would probably be more fun, they will also appreciate the Target card and I can get 4 in one stop (and I'm driving right by Target several times in the next week.)

Party invites start rolling in and I'm trying to figure out how to get kids to 2 different places at once, but stop!  We can say no to some that just really don't fit in and the kids will be fine.  There's plenty of party and festive-ness going on, even just in our own home.

My Pinterest craft list beckons to me, "Do this fun decoration now, it will only take an hour."   When shopping, I get ideas of more gifts, even though I'm just about done with the shopping I'd planned.  That one hard-to-shop-for person still alludes me, and I panic a little as the clock ticks. 

But each day, I'm trying to take a few minutes.  To sit by the glowing tree.  To read a book with my kids.  To do a small act of service for someone else.  To look at the lights that are popping up around our neighborhood as I drive home from errands.  To read my scriptures and reflect on the life and teaching of my Savior.  And each day, I feel a little of the Christmas calm that can make this time of year so beautiful.